Sewing machine



Apr. 24;, 1923.

v 1,452,632 W. H. BARNETT SEWING MACHINE Filed Sept. 13, 1920 5 Sheets-sheaf, 1

imam H .a 8W- W. H. BARNETT SEWING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Em $11 fiu W. H. BARNETT Apr. 24; 1923.

SEWING MACHINE Filed Sent. 13, 1920 5 Shets-Sheetfi ixiiaiiuiluil iinnnuuxiEi I'll. I'll lTlll Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

uNiT D STATE-S PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. BARNETT, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

SEWING MACHINE.

Application filed September 18, 1920. Serial No. 410,089.

lily improvement relates particularly to sewing machines used for doing embroidery work. v

The object of the invention is to produce a machine, which may be more specifically termed a, tufting machine, adapted to produce embroidery in which the thread forms stitches lying close to one face of the fabric and forms loops on the other face of the fabric, provision being made for varying the length of the loops at the will of the operator;

The machine is adapted to operation with only one thread on with a plurality of threads.

In the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying my improvement;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the head or left hand part of the machine shown in Fig. 1, a part being broken away;

Fig. 3 is an upright section on the line, 3--3, of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation looking toward the right of the machine as shown in Fig. 1,

the cap plate and the needle bar, and feed bar, and the presser bar, excepting their lower parts, having been removed.

Fig. 5 is a similar elevation, the body of the needle bar and the body of the feed bar being shown in position, the needle bar being supported by the pitman and the pitman being supported by the crank and cam wheel, the latter being supported by the usual horizontal drive shaft;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the cap plate and parts thereto attached, the cap plate having been removed and the view being toward the left and showing the needle bar, feed bar, and presser bar in position in the cap plate, the plane of'separation between the cap plate and head being indicated by the line, 6-6, of Fig. 3; I

Fig. 7 is an upright section on the line,

77, of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line, s s, of Fig. 16;.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line, 9-9, of Figs. 4 and 10;

Fig. 10 is an. upright, detail view looking toward the right and showing the lower part of the needle bar and one of the needles in section, and showing the feed bar, and showing the presser bar in elevation while its lower part is shown in section;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on the line, 11l1, of Fig. 10; I Fig; 12 is a section on the line, 12-12, of

13 is a horizontal section through the crank and cam wheel; i

Fig. 14 is a horizontal section through the feed bar on the line, 14:--'l4:, of Fig. 6; f Egg. 15 is a perspective of the presserz Fig. 16 is an upright section on the line, 16-16, of Fig. 6.

Referring to said drawings, A is a part of the ordinary sewing machine table. C is the lower arm seated on the table; C is the upper arm; and, C is the head having a removable cover or head plate C. A is any ordinary lower band wheel. C is the usual horizontal drive shaft on the outer end of which is the upper band wheel, C A band, A extends from the band wheel, A around the band wheel, C for rotating the drive shaft. On the opposite end of the drive shaft is a crank and cam wheel, G

which supports and imparts up and down movement to the hollow needle bar, D.

On the outer or left-hand face of the wheel, C is a dove-tail channel, C, in which ,rests a slide block, C Horizontal set screws. C extend through the wheel, C, from the right into the dove-tail channel. C, and bind said block immovably in said channel. serted through the opening, S. in the head, C for. turning the screws, C the crank wheel, C being turned to bring the screws opposite the opening, S; a crank wrist, C is seated on said block. A p-itman, C, has

one end coupled to the crank wrist while its other end extends downward and is coupled to the needle bar, D, at, C". The ro- A screw driver may be intation of the crank Wheel, C, will cause up and down movement of the itman, and this latter movement will cause t e up and down movement of the needle bar, D, the len th of said movement depending on the distance of the crank wrist at the time from the axis of the drive shaft. The needle bar is guided in the head plate, C, and is hollow and open at its upper end, and on its lower end is the needle base, C The lower part of said base has four upright apertures, C arranged in a plane which is parallel to the drive shaft, and the upper ends of said apertures communicate with the interior of the needle bar. A needle, N, is placed into each of said apertuies and secured therein by set-screws, (1. Only one needle may be used, instead of four.

The rear face of the needle base is made flush with the rear face of the body of the needle bar. The needle bar and a needle constitute an upright, reciprocatory, hollow thread conducting structure, the lower part of which is slender and pointed and adapted to penetrate sheet-form material.

The presser bar, F, is similar to the presser bar of an ordinary sewing machine. bar is upright and extends through the head plate and is guided above in a bearing, F while the lower part rests in a lower bearing, F An expanding coiled spring F surrounds the bar immediately below the hearing, F and has its upper end resting against the wall in which said bearing'is formed. The lower end of said spring rests'against a shoulder, F formed on the bar. In the head plate at the rear of the presser bar is an upright slot, F On the bar is a lug, F

which extends into said slot. In the lower part of said slot, a cam lever, F is pivoted to the head plate in position to force said lug and the presser bar upward when the cam lever is turned upward, in the manner common to this art. Although the presser bar is round, it can not turn, because the lug, F", extends into the slot, F The upper part of the presser foot, F has a socket or aperture, F, which receives the lower end of the presser bar. A set screw, F extends horizontally through the upper part of It is to be noted that the presser foot is' stationary during the operation of the ma- Said chine. It does not reciprocate while the machine is being operated. It israised and lowered only by means of the cam lever, F, the foot being put into the upper position when the machine is not being operated and when work is to be changed.

- The feed bar, E, lies at the rear of and against the needle bar and projects above and below the head plate, 0. The feed bar receives up and down motion from the needle bar; but the endwise travel of the feed bar is less than the endwise travel of the needle bar. A bell crank, al is coupled at its angle to the left-hand face of the feed bar by means of a collar pin, E Said bell crank has a slotted longer arm, E the slot of which receives a roller stud, E on the left hand face of the needle bar, I). The presser bar has an upright slot, F (Fig. 7) in which is seated a roller, F The shorter arm, E of the bell crank, E is slotted to form two parts, one of which extends above and the other below the roller, F. The presser bar being stationary, the roller, F, normally has no movement other than rotation. Hence it serves as a fulcrum for the bell crank, E During the reciprocations of the needle bar, the roller stud, E is carried up and down by the needle bar forcing the longer arm, E of the bell crank to and fro and through said bell crank imparting movement to the feed bar less than the movement of the needle bar. When the presser bar is raised by turning the cam lever, F, upward, the feed bar, on account of the engagement of the bell crank with the presser bar, is also carried upward above the normal upper limit of the feed bar.

The lower end of the feed bar extends into a channel, E", of the feed block, E, which has points, E Each side edge of the feed bar has an upright channel, E", which receives the ends of set screws, E extending through the block, E, to bind the block to the bar.

In the horizontal upper wall of the head plate, 0*, is a notch, D in which are antifriction rollers, R, between which the needle bar and the feed bar are confined for upright movement.

In the horizontal lower wall of said head plate is a similar notch, D in which the needle bar and the feed bar are confined for up and down and also forward and backward movement, said notch being wide enough to allow as much lateral movement of said bars as is needed for feeding the sheet fabric horizontally. The rollers, R, serve as pivots or fulcri for the needle bar and the feed bar during the compound (endwise and oscillating) movements of said bars.

In the forward part of the head and below the crank and cam wheel, C is a bell crank having arms, D D, the crank being ivoted on a horizontal stud, D. The arm,

a of said ball 'crank is directed downward and supports a horizontal wrist pin, D, which bears inst thev front face of the needle bar. T e arm D", of the bell crank is directed horizontally rearward. To said arm is con led the lower end of a rocking lever, D. 3etween its ends said lever rests upon a fulcrum roller, D, which is located on the arm, D, at the rear of said lever. Said arm is 'voted on the stud, D. The upper end 0 said roekinglever carries a roller, d, which bears against the (perimeter of the crank and cam wheel, Said wheel, C, has an outward extension positioned to prom outward the upper end of the rocking lever when the needle bar is at the proper elevation to call for the rear-' ward movement of the lowerend of the feed bar and the lower end of the needle bar. The tilting of the rocking lever causes the tilting of the bell crank to drive the wrist pin, D rearward a sufiicient distance to impart the desired rearward movement to the lower end of the feed bar and the lower end of the needle bar. Such rearward movement is resisted yieldingly by the blade spring, H, which is applied to the rear face of the head and secured at its upper end to the head by a screw H and has its lower end extended beneath the head and forward in position to bear yieldingly against the rear face of the feed bar. An adjusting screw, H extends through the middle part of the spring and into the wall of the head, C. By means of said screw the lateral pressure of this spring may be varied.

To vary the movement of. the wrist pin for the purpose of varying the length of each step in the feed of the fabric by varying the horizontal movement of the lower end of the feed bar and the lower end of the needle bar, the fulcrum roller, D is to be shifted so as to bring the bearing between said roller and the rocking lever nearer to or farther from the coupling between said lever and the bell crank. For this purpose, the arm, D is secured by a screw, d", to base which is in the form of a segment gear, D", which is also pivoted on the screw stud, D. A small gear pinion, D meshes with the segment and is mounted on a shaft, D which extends horizontally rearward through the head. At the rear of the head said shaft supports a milled head, D Said head is to be grasped by the hand and turned to turn the segment gear in either direction to give the fulcrum roller the desired location relative to the length of the rocking lever which, in conjunction with the adjustment of stop screw L presently explained. determines and controls the length of feed movement and hence the length of I stitch.

During the operation'of the machine, the fabric is placed horizontally with its face hold it at a height w ich ,will. rmit the needles to rise out of=the fabric without-- going materially higher, in order that the thread or yarn may be carried horizontally across the upper face of the fabric with only enough length of yarn or thread drawn through the needle to equal the ion h of the feed step, the yarn or thread on t e upper or unfinished face of the fabric being thus laid fiat against that face of the fabric.

Since the up-and-down stroke of the needle and needle bar is to be varied, as above described, fon the purpose of varying the length of the thread loops made at the lower side of the fabric, the lower fabric support must be made adjustable up and down to conform to variatlons in the endwise stroke of the needle and needle bar,.such adjustability of the fabricsupport simultaneousl with any change or adjustment ofthe lengt of needle stroke is necessary inorder to osition the upper surface of the fabric so t at the needle in its lateral movement clear of the fabric will travel very close to said surface of the fabric thereby layin the thread betweenloops close along saig surface of the fabric, whereas if in the lateral movement of the needle its point were materially elevated from the surface of the fabric objectionable looseness or short loops of thread would be formed at said side of the fabric where a tight thread enga ement withthe surface of the fabric is One form of such an adjustable support turned in either direction to drive it upward or downward as may be required by the change of the stroke of the needle. The interior ofi the supports, G, is to be large enough to allow the needle or needles and the points, E of the feed bar to enter said interior and to allow the last-made loops to hang downward and not be pushed out of the upright position so as to be caught by the needles during the succeeding strokes.

' The presser foot is to be adjusted on the presser bar-to correspond with the adjustment of the fabric support.

Fig. 17 shows the needle bar as formed with a separate passage for each thread, in order that friction of the threads against each other or entanglement of the threads may be avoided.

From the upper end of the needle bar the threads, T, extend through guides, T and T mounted on the neck, C and thence to spools, T, which are supported on an upright, T", rising from the lower arm, C.

It is to be understood that the needle bar may be formed to support any desired numher of needles, and that the machine may be operated with only one needle and one thread or with a plurality of needles and threads. Greater capacity may be attained by using more than one needle. F urthermore, by using the plurality of needles, the separation between the lines of stitches may be made precisely uniform as the work proceeds; for the needles of the gang or group are set at fixed distances from each other. When a line of stitches has been completed and it is sought to place another line parallel to the first line, 'it is difficult for the operator to avoid varying the distance between the lines. For operation of the gang or group of needles, a thread of any desired color may be applied to any of the needles. The product may be in different colors.

In all work, the needle penetrates the fabric twice as far as the length of the loop which is to be formed. When the lower limit has been reached, the needle moves up ward and leaves below the fabric in the form of a loop the thread which was drawn downward through the fabric. When the needle has moved upward far enough to be clear of the upper face. of the fabric, the needle is to be relatively shifted horizontally so as to carry the threads horizontally across the upper face of the fabric without forming a .loop, the thread lying flat against the upper face of the fabric. To insure the horizontal movement of the lower end of the needle close to the up )er face of the fabric, the fabric support, r, is made adjustable up and down, as above described.

It has already been stated that the endwise stroke or travel of the needle bar may be'yaried by varyingthe position of the connection between the pitman, C and the cam and crank wheel, C. And it has been made clear that the feed bar is given its endwise reciprocation by the needle bar, it being apparent that shortening or lengthening the stroke of the needle bar will correspondingly vary the endwise stroke of the feed bar.

In. addition to the above-mentioned adjustment of the endwise stroke of the feed .a work bar, heig'ht'of the feed block, E, on the feed bar may be varied, whereb the elevation of the points, E ,'of the fee block may be adjusted'relative to the height of the points of the needles, N. Thus the points, E, are made adjustable on the feed bar.

As will be understood, witli'ithe needles and the pointed lower end of'tlie feed bar penetrating the fabric, they are moved in the direction of thefeed by the mechanism described and against the tension of the spring H, drawing the fabric along between the opposing surfaces of the. presser foot and work support the length of one stitch. The needles and point of the feed bar then rise clearof the fabric and are caused to move laterally in the opposite direction by the action of spring H, the point of the needle traveling close to the upper surface of the fabric as hereinbefore described.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a sewing or embroidering machine,

the combination of a fixed framework including an overhanging machine-head, support beneath said head, a needle-bar movably mounted and supported upon said head in an upright position a tubular needle carried by said needle-bar point downward and through which thread or the like is delivered and applied to the work. I

driving connections reciprocating said needle-bar endwise in its bearings on the head of the machine thereby actuating the needle to project loops of thread or the like through and leave said loops projecting from the surface of fabric or other material upon the work support, and means also reciprocating said needle-bar and needle sidewise.

2. In a sewing or embroidering machine, the combination of a fixed framework including an overhanging machine-head, a Work support beneath said head, a needlebar movably mounted and supported upon said head in an upright position, a tubular needle carried by said needle-bar point downward and through which thread or the like is delivered and applied to the work. driving connections reciprocating needle-bar endwise in its bearings on the head of the machine thereby actuating the needle to project loops of thread or the like through and leave said loops projecting from the surface of fabric or other material upon the work s ipport, and means for reciprocating said needle-bar and needle sidewise in one direction while the needle is engaged with the work and sidewise in the opposite direction while the needle is withdrawn from the work.

3. In a sewing or embroidering machine, the combination of a fixed framework including an overhanging machine-head. a,v work support beneath said head, a needle said' needle carried by said needle-bar point downward and through which thread or the like is delivered and applied-to the work driving connections reciprocating sai head of the machine thereby actuating the needle to project loops of thread or the like through and leave said loops projectin' from-the surface of fabric or other materia upon the work support, and means for adjusting the endwise reciprocation of the needle to change the length of loops projected thereby through and from the fabric or other material. f

4. Ina sewing or embroidering machine, the combination of a fixed framework including I an overhanging machine head, a work support beneath said head, a needle-bar movably mounted and supported upon said head in an upright position, a tubular needle carried by said needle-bar point downward and through which thread or the like is delivered and applied to the work, driving connections reciprocating said needle-bar endwise in its bearings 0n the head of the machine thereby actuating the needle to project loops of thread or the like through and leave said loops projecting from the surface of fabric or other material upon the work support, and means for reciprocating said needle-bar and needle sidewise in one direction while the needle is engaged with the work and sidewise in the opposite direction while the needle is withdrawn from the work, and means for adjusting said sidewise reciprocation of the needle-bar and needle to change the length of stitch made thereby.

5. n a sewing or embroidering machine, the combination of a fixed framework inculding an overhan ing machine-head, a work support beneat said head, a needlebar movably mounted and supported upon said head in an upright position, a tubular needle carried by said needle-bar point downward and through which thread or the like is delivered and applied to the work, driving connections reciprocating said needle-bar endwise in its bearing on the head of the machine thereby actuating the needle to project loops of thread or the like through and from the surface of fabric or other material upon the work support, means for adjusting the endwise reciprocation of the needle-bar and needle to change the length of loops projected by the needle through and from the fabric or other material, means for reciprocating said needle-bar and needle sidewise in one direction while the needle is engaged with the work and sidewise in the opposite direction while the needle is withdrawn from the work, and means for adjusting said sidewise reciprocation of the needlebar and needle to change the length of stitch made thereby.

6. In a sewing or embroidering machine,

the combination of a fixed framework including an overhanging machine-head, a work support beneath said head, a needle-bar movably mounted and supported on said needle-bar'endwise in its hearings on the;

reciprocating said needle-bar and needle sidewise in one direction while the needle is engaged with the work and sidewise in the opposite direction while the needle is withdrawn from the work, and means for adjusting said sidewise reciprocation of the needle-bar and needle to change the length of stitch made thereby.

7. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle, means for reciprocatin the needle endwise, a presser foot, and a abric support, said needle reciprocating means and the presser foot and the fabric support being relatively adjustable for varying the length of the needle stroke and maintaining the desired relationship of the needle point to the presser foot and the fabric support when the needle is elevated, substantially as described.

8. Ina sewi machine, the combination of a tubular nee 1e, means for reciprocating said needle endwise point downward to thereby form loops of thread through and left projecting from the surface of fabric or other work, and a fabric support adjustable to change the position of its work supporting surface with relation to the point of the needle when the latter is at the limit ofits upward movement.

9. In a sewing machine, the combination of a tubular needle, means for reciprocating said needle endwise point downward to thereby form loops of thread through and left projecting from the surface of fabric or other work, a fabric support adjustable to change the position of its work supporting surface with relation to the point of the needle when the latter is at the limit of its upward movement, and a presser foot engaging the upper surface of the work.

10. In a tuftin machine, the combination of a tubular needle, means of reciprocating said needle endwise point downward to thereby form loops of thread through and projecting from the surface of fabric or other work, a fabric support, and a feedde 11. In a tuftin machine, the combination of atubular nee le, means for reciprocating said needle endwise pointdownward to thereby form loops of thread through and projecting from the surface of fabric or other work, afabric support, a presser foot, and a feed device-other than the needle operating automatically to advance the work a prdetermined distance for each stroke of the needle.

12. In a tufting machine, the combination of a tubular needle, a. feed device operating automatically to advance the work a predetermined distance for each stroke of the needle, means for reciprocating said needle and feed device up and down with the point of the needle downward to thereby form loops of thread through and projecting from the surface of fabric or other work, a fabric sup-port and a presser foot.

13. In a tuftinw machine, the combination of a tubular needle through the interior of which thread or thelike is conducted and applied to the work, means for reciprocating said needle endwise point downward to thereby form loops of thread through and projecting from the surface of fabric or other work, means for reciprocating said needle sidewise, and a feed device, substantially as described.

14. In a sewing or embroidering machine,

the combination of a fixed framework including an overhanging machine-head, a work support beneath said head, a needle-bar movabl mounted and supported upon said head in an upright position, a tubular needle carried by said needle-bar point downward and through which thread or the like is delivered and applied to the work, driving connections reciprocating said needle-bar endwise in its bearings on the head of the machine thereby actuating the needle to project loops of thread or the like through and leave said loops projecting fromthe surface of fabric or other material upon the work support, means for adjusting said driving connections to vary the stroke of the needle-bar and needle and thereby the length of loop projected through the work, and work-feeding means operating automatically to advance the work a predetermined distance for each loop formed by the needle.

15. In 'a tufting machine, the combination of a tubular needle, means for reciprocating said needle endwise point downward to thereby form loops of thread or the like through and projecting from the surface of the work, means for reciprocating the needle sidewise said means being adjustable to change the sidcwise movement of the needle, and work feeding means operating automatically to advance the work a predetermined distance for each loop forming stroke of the needle.

16. In a tufting machine, the combination of a tubular needle, means for reciprocating said needle endwise to thereby form loops of thread through and projecting from the surface of fabric or other work, means for reciprocating said needle sidewise, and a feed device and means reciprocating said device up and down horizontally, substantially as described.

17. In a tufting machine, the combination of a tubular needle. means for reciprocating said needle endwise point downward to thereby form loops of thread or the like through and projecting from the surface of the work, means for reciprocating said needle sidewise, and a feed device operatively associated with the needle bar for endwise and sidewise reeiprocations with the reciprocations of the needle, substantially as described.

18. In a sewing or embroidering machine, the combination of a fixed frameworkineluding an overhanging machine-head, a work-support beneath said head, a needlebar movably mounted and supported upon said head in an upright position and having a longitudinal passage approximately throughout its entire length, a hollow or tubular needle carried by said needle-bar point downward and with its interior passage communicating at its upper 'end with the longitudinal passage of the needlebar whereby thread or the like may be led through the passages of the needlebar and needle to be applied by the latter to the. work, and driving connections reciprocating said needle-bar endwise in its bearings on the head of the machine thereby :utuating the needle to project loops of thread or the like through and from the surface of fabric or other material upon the work support.

19. In a sewing or embroidering machine, the combination of a fixed framework including an overhanging machine-head, a work-support beneath said head, a needlebar movable mounted and supported upon said head in an upright position and having a longitudinal passage approximately throughout its entire length, a hollow or tubular needle carried by said needle-bar point downward and with its interior passage communicating at its upper end with the longitudinal passage of the needle-bar whereby thread or the like may be led through the. passages of the needle-bar and needle to be applied by the latter to the work, driving connections reciprocating said needle-bar endwise in its hearings on the head of the machine thereby actuating the needle to project loopsv of thread or the like through and from the surface of fabric or other material upon the woak support, and means for feeding the work.

20. In a sewing machine, the combination with a needle bar, a tubular needle secured to the lower end of said bar with its point downward, means for reciprocating said needle bar and needle u and down and for varying the length of said reciprocation, and a work support adjustable up and down, substantially as described.

21. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle bar, means for giving endwise reciprocations of varying lengths to said bar, and an upright tubular fabric support adjustable up and down, substantially as described.

22. In a sewing machine. the combination of a needle bar, means for giving endwise reciprocations of varying lengths to said bar, and a screw threaded fabric support adjustable up and down, substantially as described.

23. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle bar, adjustable means for imparting endwise reciprocations to the needle bar, a stationary, interiorly screw threaded base, and an exteriorly screw threaded hollow fabric support seated in said base, substantially as described.

24. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle bar, means for giving endwise reciprocations of varying lengths to said bar, an upright tubular fabric support adjustable up and down, and fabric feeding means, substantially as described.

25. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle bar, means for giving endwise reciprocations of varying lengths to said bar, a screw threaded fabric su port, and fabric feeding means, substantia ly as described.

26. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle bar, adjustable means for imparting endwise reciprocations to the needle bar, a stationary interiorly screw threaded base, an exteriorly screw threaded hollow fabric support seated in said base. and fabric feeding means, substantially as described.

27. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle bar, driving connections for imparting endwise reciprocation to said bar, said driving connections being adjustable to vary the length of said reciprocation, a presser bar vertically movable in supporting bearings of the machine, a presser foot adjustably secured to said presser bar for up and down adjustment thereon, and a work support adjustable up and down.

28. In a sewing machine, the combination of a needle-bar, a work support, a tubular needle carried by the needle-bar and adapted to project loops of thread or the like through and from the surface of fabric or other ma terial on the work support, driving connections reciprocating said needle-bar and needle endwise and causing the needle to project loops of thread or the like through and from the surface of thefabric or other material on the work support said driving connections being adjustable to vary the amplitude of reciprocation of the needle-bar and needle and thereby the length of loops projected by the'needle through the work, feeding means reciprocable simultaneously with the needle bar said feeding means comprising a bar and a work engaging member adjustably attached to said bar for ad'ustment in conformity with adjustments 0 the amplitude .of reciprocation of the needle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 'name, this seventh day of September, in

the year one thousand nine hundred and twenty.

WILLIAM H. BARNETT. 

